FAR 52.240-1
US procurement rule banning ASDA-covered foreign drones from all federal contracts.
Last refreshed: 30 March 2026
How many federal contractors can actually certify compliance today?
Latest on FAR 52.240-1
- What is FAR 52.240-1?
- A Federal Acquisition Regulation clause effective 13 March 2026 that bans drones from ASDA-covered foreign manufacturers in all US federal contracts.Source: Acquisition.gov
- FAR 52.240-1 drone ban federal contracts?
- Every federal contractor must certify that no ASDA-covered drone components enter their supply chain. DJI and Autel Robotics are the primary targets.Source: Acquisition.gov
- American Security Drone Act procurement rule?
- ASDA identified foreign drone manufacturers as security risks. FAR 52.240-1 enforces this by requiring contractor compliance certification for all federal purchases.Source: US Congress
- Does FAR 52.240-1 affect drone components or only whole drones?
- The clause covers drones manufactured OR assembled by covered entities, reaching into supply chains beyond standalone products.Source: Acquisition.gov
- FAR 52.240-1 vs FCC Covered List?
- The FCC Covered List (Dec 2025) blocks new product certifications. FAR 52.240-1 (Mar 2026) converts that into a binding procurement rule for all federal contracts.
Background
FAR 52.240-1 is a clause added to the Federal Acquisition Regulation on 13 March 2026 that prohibits unmanned aerial systems manufactured or assembled by American Security Drone Act (ASDA) covered foreign entities from any US federal contract. Every contractor must now certify compliance.
The clause converts the FCC's December 2025 Covered List decision into a binding procurement rule. Where the Covered List blocked new product certifications, FAR 52.240-1 reaches into supply chains: federal contractors using DJI or Autel Robotics components in any system, not just standalone drones, must now exclude them or lose contract eligibility.
For manufacturers still sourcing Chinese parts (38% of Ukrainian drones and an unknown share of US integrators), the clause creates an immediate compliance burden. Combined with a potential Section 232 tariff on UAS imports, FAR 52.240-1 is one blade of a regulatory scissors closing on Chinese drone suppliers faster than domestic alternatives can scale.